scenes from our Sunday...

Sam got to open the prize cards from safeway and he WON!!!  

He was thrilled to win a box of cereal!! :)

Susannah, Abigail and I have spent a lot of time today relaxing and reading our books.

Rosie is MORE than happy to curl up and keep us company :)  

Susannah and her friend Shania went to see Titanic 3D at the movie theatre this afternoon.

We picked them up at 4pm and while we waited, we watched these birds fighting over some dropped food in the parking lot.  It was quite funny - they are such characters:

I took Sam and Abby to Kidz Quarterz for the afternoon.  They spent three hours running around and burning off energy in the indoor playground - and both had no problem finding endless friends to play with - they basically left me alone the whole time - which was fabulous as I had my head stuck in my new book - which is fantastic!!!  I can't wait to get to the end and find out the truth about Ben!!!  I definitely recommend 'Before I Go To Sleep' to anyone who wants a good book to read!!!  

Have a great week everyone!!

Our Saturday.....

Friday was a grey and drizzly day all day...just one of those cold and miserable days and we didn't want to go out in it - it kept changing from rain to snow and then back to rain again....we delayed all our errands until Monday and stayed home for the day.  Abby practiced on her guitar all day - she is getting really good.  Sam watched a movie with me, did some math, was on the computer...Abby baked cookies...I decluttered every closet and drawer in my room and now have several empty drawers again which makes me feel good :)  I cleaned the bathrooms and did some studying....I also art journaled and caught up with the Book of days that I'm following along with.  Very inspiring.

Susies bus arriving home.  Laurence is staying at his friends for the weekend:

Then today, Saturday, we woke up to this:

More snow - and the yucky wet horrible kind :(  I wish Spring would hurry up and finally BE here - I'm tired of this warm one day and then cold the next :(  

We headed into town to the library.  Sams book that we had ordered was in (The Lego Ideas Book) and we had some books due back on Sunday.  Abby and Susannah also both wanted to get more books from the series they are reading.  They both came home with piles of books.  I got three for myself on Marine Life:

The pizza slices that the children had filled in over Spring Break had all been put up on the wall.  They had to colour in one pepperoni piece for each book they read and then after reading five books they could trade their pizza slice for a coupon for a free small Panago pizza!!!  Here Sam is pointing to his pizza slice :)

We headed to the mall to get some groceries but first we walked through to Chapters to get the journals for the new art journaling class.  The Alberta Arm Wrestling Association was holding a competition in the food court!!!  So we stopped and watched for a while.  Sam thought it was cool but Susie and I were just giggling - especially at how red the men were going!!!  hahaha  And Susie couldn't believe they have an association and that it's a 'real' sport....

Off to Safeway to get our groceries.  Luckily it was really quiet:

This is my Saturday night.  I really don't feel like getting dressed up and going out in this weather, so as exciting as it sounds, my Saturday night is curled up at home with a good book and a Bounty :)  

And you know?  I'm fine with that :)  

x

Tonight is the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of HMS Titanic.  

May it never be forgotten.

x

Friday fill-ins....

And...here we go!

1. Speed kills.
2. All this being over and having my life back is what I've been looking forward to!
3. One of the things I like most about traveling is seeing new places, experiencing new places, meeting new people, making memories, a chance to relax, cross places off of my bucket list, show the children places...
4. thinking of making memories makes me think of all the traditions I have introduced the children to over the years.  I know some of them are now VERY important to them and that makes me happy :)
5. A road trip that we are all looking forward to is in the not too distant future :) 
6. A bagel is what I had for dinner last night.I have no appetite right now because of the meds I'm on.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to no idea, tomorrow my plans include taking Susannah and her friend to see Titanic in 3d and Sunday, I want to do something but no idea what!  It is supposed to rain all weekend and not be too great so I'm not sure what we will do this weekend - maybe go swimming....I am supposed to be at a language and literacy conference on Saturday...but I'm not sure if I will go or not as the kids have all got other plans now and it's not really a priority.  

Pictures I've found that I like or have made me laugh or think.....

Our Thursday....

I picked up some stones outside of Kidz Quarterz the other day, and painted them with messages.

Then today the children helped me to place them in different places throughout Sherwood Park - just as we were doing errands...one here, one there...on sidewalks....where people might find them and pick them up.  Hopefully they will be found by people who need some extra love - an extra smile that day!  The children really loved doing this - and so we picked up more stones to bring home and decorated so we can leave them in more places - I think we will continue to do this throughout the Summer :)  

I started my scrabble tile pendants today.  I am doing some with a clear glaze and some with a crackled glaze :)  

Today was a really grey and dreary day - it looked as though it might rain but it didn't.  We stayed home all morning and then headed into town to run some errands all afternoon.  

Abigail spent the morning turning an Altoid tin into a bedroom for a a felt pet she made herself - she made a pillow and bedding for it too and decorated the wall as well - from a design/ patter she found on pinterest!!  She did really well using a pattern and sewing and measurements as well as changing the design to suit her own needs :)  

My Cutie Sam:

Rosie just likes to hang out close to us:

Wednesday tag :)

1. Have you ever played golf? Any interest in playing? Do you have a significant other who loves to play? Did you watch The Masters this past weekend?

I really like going to the driving range and hitting a bucket of balls, I've even enjoyed the few rounds of golf I've played....I don't watch golf on tv because I don't watch any tv.  My second husband used to like to play golf - now I wish he had played more golf as since he left I have realized how suffocating our relationship was and how much I enjoy doing things alone and how much more HE should have done alone...but that is something you live and learn....

2. Hats are back in fashion this spring...how do you feel about wearing a hat? (fyi-I'm not talking baseball caps) When was the last time you wore one?

I'm a scarf person...I don't really wear hats - I have a couple - including a cowboy hat that my ex husband bought me last summer that I LOVE - I took sand paper to it and 'roughed it up' a bit so it looks kind of tatty and old - and I wore it to the rodeo last year :)  I wore it to the pub as well and I will wear it a few times this Summer no doubt.  I really love it :)  My Daughter Abigail looks amazing in all hats - she really does just look fantastic in hats of all kinds.....she has tons of hats :)  Me, I am more a scarf person and if I'm not wearing a necklace of some kind, then I am wearing a scarf :)  I have a big collection of them :)


3. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 meaning proficient and 1 meaning "I'd starve", how adept are you at using chopsticks?

I do ok - I taught all my kids to use them too, using jelly beans :)  I am not fantastic, but I can survive a meal with them if I have to.  
4. Has technology taken over?

Only as much as you allow it.  Like we don't have television.  We don't have a landline telephone in the house.  We don't have all the game systems that most families seem to have - I would rather DO things with my children than have them constantly plugged in to computer games.  Yes they play minecraft at times, and they use facebook occasionally, but we balance it out with a huge amount of family time, swimming, trips to the park, science centre, festivals, library, playground, board games, dog park, play dates.....just doing OTHER STUFF...


5. In the course of a day how often do you look in a mirror?

When I'm getting dressed, ready to go out.  when I wash my hands (there is a mirror by each sink), and when I get ready for bed/ brush my teeth etc....


6. Tulip or Daffodil?

Daffodils....I just think they are so friendly and yellow and cheery - like Daisies :)  


7. I am proud of myself for surviving two years of stress and hell, on my own, despite every setback that has been thrown at me.


8. Insert your own random thought here.

Chris at UBC....a few snapshots....

One would assume he is happy, healthy and having a great time - as well as doing well with his courses :)  

Tuesday highlights....

Today we met Val and Christanne at KQ for the afternoon - it's always so nice to see my two playing with Isaiah :)  Val kindly brought coupons so we didn't have to pay to get in :)  

Perfect :)  

On the way in to town, Adam played the YMCA song on Now Radio, so we turned it up full blast and Abby taught Sam the actions and we were all singing along to it :)  It was so much fun :)  

I got several errands crossed off my list today too.

Here is Susie posting a letter for me in town:

The rest are all snapshots taken on the way home this evening.  We needed ink for some forms I had to print out.  stamps, and a few other things to do....then home to prep the classroom for tomorrows class.  

Rest of the evening has been spent relaxing....I am so tired.  11pm seems to be my bedtime these nights now.  Fine by me :)  

It's so windy out tonight!  And Rosie is snoring loudly!!!  I almost need ear plugs and I haven't had to wear those since Lloyd left - it's been lovely to sleep ear-plug free each night :)  but geez tonight Rosie is making up for it hahahaha!!

Goodnight Tuesday!!!

Easter Monday fun at the Prairie Gardens.

We spent this afternoon at The Prairie Gardens.  Back in December I took the opportunity to buy another annual pass at 50% off.  We go there so often that it saves soooo much money!  The kids LOVE it there :)  They have added so many festivals throughout the year now and so many different activities to each festival :)

I persuaded Laurence to come with us today - he hadn't been with us for YEARS, but I think he had a great time too - he even joined in the gem mining and held a chick :)  

I had to bribe Susie with mini eggs to get her picture taken with the Easter Bunny.  Is it just me or is the Easter Bunny just always so damned CREEPY???  I swear there is something demonic about a huge rabbit!!  It always comes across as evil - like a clown!  

The baby chicks were soooooo cute - made me want to get a couple for at home, but of course they grow up in to stinky chickens...but we all held a baby chick and cuddled them close for a while:

The kids got to hunt for eggs and trade them for candy:

Gem mining is their most FAVOURITE thing to do at the Prairie Gardens and we always get at least two buckets to sort through.  Laurence got 16 sharks teeth!!  Abby got a fossil and a big arrow head.  Sam had a huge amethyst....he brought it all home and added his stash to his treasure chest.  He has decided he wants to be an archeologist or something similar when he is older:

The Knights were there again,  Sam chose to have sword fight with one of them:

Abigail chose to try archery.  The guy was really impressed with her.  He said it is always nice to see a natural and she was the first of the day to shoot it through the target - and then she did it twice :)  

Being on the Prairie Gardens Facebook page means I knew that it was very wet and muddy there - so we were well prepared - they did say that it was drier today - and it was thankfully!  But we still wore our welly boots just in case!!  We still found plenty of muddy puddles to play in :)

One of the greenhouses had been turned into a nursery for newborn lambs and kids.  They were sooooo cute and cuddle and so very soft.  We all went in for a cuddle and to say hi:

All in all it was the perfect way to end the Easter Weekend.  Welcoming baby animals - welcoming Spring.  Spending time on a farm, outside in the sunshine, chicks, lambs, baby rabbits....

Perfect :)

And now I'm exhausted :)